Donald Trump has indicated he is prepared to wind down military operations against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing the president's aides.
As per the WSJ, Trump and his senior aides recently concluded that efforts to forcibly reopen the crucial maritime chokepoint could significantly extend the conflict beyond the administration’s preferred four-to-six-week timeline. Instead, the current focus is on weakening Iran’s naval capabilities and missile stockpiles before scaling back hostilities.
The report added that Washington aims to shift toward diplomatic pressure on Tehran to restore the free flow of global trade through the strait. Should those efforts fall short, the US may encourage its European and Gulf allies to take a leading role in reopening the passage.
At a White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that the military operation had always been expected to last between four and six weeks, noting that it has now reached day 30.
Trump "has always stated four to six weeks, estimated timeline," Leavitt told reporters. "We're on day 30 today. So again, you do the math."
"He wants to see a deal over the next 10 days," she said.
The White House press secretary also stated that Trump would be interested in calling on Arab states to pay for the cost of the Iran war.
"I think it’s something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do. It’s an idea that I know he has and something that I think you’ll hear more from him on," Leavitt said.
